Two workers injured after scaffolding collapse in East Garfield Park
CHICAGO (CBS)-- Two people were injured in a scaffolding collapse in the East Garfield Park neighborhood on Monday afternoon.
Police received a report of people trapped in the building at 3318 W. Warren Blvd. Once on scene, rescue crews determined that it was scaffolding that fell.
Video shared on Instagram by Chicago Critter showed the aftermath of the scaffolding collapse. The two workers on the façade of the Warren Boulevard building fell three stories on the scaffolding.
They narrowly missed a spiked fence – landing pinned under limestone on the pavement.
Good Samaritans stepped in on the spot.
"It was a thick piece of concrete boulder-like material on his chest, and two of the guys helped me grab it off of him," said Daniel Hubbard.
Neighbors pulled the stone off the workers before more help could arrive.
"I do what I can," Hubbard said. "You know, when you see another civilian in that state, you have to put your life on the line just like the firefighters do."
The workers were rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Later, outside Stroger Hospital of Cook County where both workers were taken, CBS 2's Franza talked with a cousin of one of the men. The cousin was himself also working at the jobsite.
He was too shaken up to speak on camera, but he did explain to CBS 2 what he saw happen.
He said his cousin and the other man were on the roof trying to fix the stone, when a large slab of limestone fell onto the scaffolding.
The chunk of limestone was too heavy for the scaffolding to hold. It took the metal bars of the scaffolding - and both victims - down with it.
The cousin said the injured worker is not able to breathe on his own. He said they both moved to the U.S. in search of the American dream four years ago, are now living a nightmare.
The last inspection on record for the building was in 2020. It passed.
On Jan. 20 of this year, the building received a permit to rebuild and reset the same stones on the third floor that fell to the ground.
Additional demolition crews were expected to come by and take down the remaining structure. It's not clear who put the scaffolding up.
The Fire Department is still investigating whether or not a partial building collapse is to blame for this.
